Page protector and marker



June 6, 1950 P E FF R 2,510,053

PAGE PROTECTOR AND MARKER Filed May 7, 1947 Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAGE PROTECTOR AND MARKER Sarah Shields Pfeifler, Auburndale, Mass.

Application May 7, 1947, Serial No. 746,419

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a protector and marker for the pages of a book to which constant reference must be made in an environment which normally would result in the pages of the book becoming irreparably soiled, spattered or marred as, for example, a cook book, laboratory or shop manual or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a protector and marker of the character described which will permit desired pages of the book continuously to be maintained in open and conveniently readable position for immediate reference while protecting the open pages from accidental spattering and soiling inevitably incident to cooking or the conducting of laboratory experiments. Another object of the invention is to provide a protector and marker which when the book is closed will facilitate the reopening of the book to the same desired pages when reference thereto is again required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protector and marker of the character described which will in no way interfere with the outer cover or its appearance or distort the shape and size of the book.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide a protector and marker of the character described which is of extremely simple, durable and inexpensive construction, which may be readily detached and removed from and again attached to the book when it is desired to refer to new pages, which is easy and convenient to use, which is easily cleaned when soiled, and which is pleasing in appearance.

In one aspect the invention involves a protector and marker for the pages of a book comprising transparent sheet material having a central hinged portion to provide two hinged sections each adapted to overlie one of the pages of an open book with the hinged portion overlying the junction of said pages, one of the free edges of each section having means carried by its marginal portion for engaging the free edge of the underlying page releasably to hold the protector in fixed position. The hinged sections are further adapted to lie between said pages when the book is closed. One of the free edges of each section may have a bendable tab engageable with the free edge of the underlying page releasably to hold the protector in fixed position. The bendable tab may be struck out from the marginal portion of a free edge of each section. The free edge of such section may extend beyond the free edge of the underlying pages when the book is closed. Preferably, said means are carried by the marginal portion of one of the edges which adjoins the hinged portion.

In another aspect, the invention comprises two rectangular pieces of transparent sheet material hinged together along corresponding inner edges so that each sheet overlies one of the pages of an open book with the hinge overlying the junction of said pages, one of the free edges of each sheet having means carried by its marginal portion for engaging the free edge of the underlying page releasably to hold the protector in fixed position. One of the free edges of each sheet may have a bendable tab struck out from its marginal portion engageable with the free edge of the underlying page releasably to hold the protector in fixed position and preferably the means are carried by the marginal portion of one of the edges which adjoins the hinged portion.

In a more specific aspect, the two pieces of transparent sheet material are vertically hinged together, the top horizontal edge of each sheet having a marginal portion providing a marking surface for written indicia, and means carried by said marginal portion for engaging the free edge of the underlying page releasably to hold the protector in fixed position. a

For the purpose of illustration, reference is made to the following detailed description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention shown attached to the pages of a book in partially open position;

Fig, 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 shown detached from the pages of a book and in partially open position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary face view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 shown attached to the pages of 'a fully opened book;

Fig. 4 is a section along line 44 of the embodiment of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4 of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the invention comprises transparent sheet material of well-known composition such as regenerated cellulose, cellulose ester and ethers or polyvinyl plastic having a central hinged portion l to provide two hinged sections 2 and 3 each adapted to overlie the pages 4 and 5 respectively of an open book 6, the hinged portion l overlying the junction 1 of the pages of the book.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the hinged sections 2 and 3 may be integral or separate. When the sections are integral the hinged portion l is formed by providing a central permanent creased fold line 8 in the transparent sheet material as shown in Fig. 5. A narrow re-enforcing strip 9 of suitable flexible sheet material may be secured to the rear face of the hinged portion l by suitable means as adhesive (Fig. As shown in Fig. 4, when the sections are separate, the hinged portion l is formed by hingedly interconnecting the spaced corresponding inner edges of said sections by a hinge II], the hinge comprising a narrow strip-of flexible sheet material secured to the rear faces of the corresponding inner edges of said sections by suitable means as adhesive.

A spadeshaped resiliently bendable tab H is struck out intermediate the ends of the top marginal portion 12 of each section 2 and 3 (Fig. 2) and is engageable with the underlying pages 4 and 5 respectively of the book releasably to hold the sections in fixed position.

The top marginal portion 12 of the front face of each section may be etched, coated or otherwise treated, as shown in Fig. .3, to produce a, translucent marking surface capable 20f receiving written indicia l3 as for example printed or Written advertising indicia.

in using the protector and marker above described, the book is preferably opened to the position shown in Fig. 3 exposing the desired pages of the book to immediate reference. The protector is then placed over said pages of the book with the :sections 2 and 3 overlying pages 4 and 5 respectively and with the hinged portion I overlying and seating the junction of said pages. The resiliently bendable tabs H are then :bent slightly r-earwardly and while held temporarily insaid position, the sections are slid downwardly of the pages of the book thereby to cause the ends of the tabs to slide beneath and into :engagement with the underlying top edges of one or more ,pages of the book to hold the sections infixed position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The pages of the book including the junction of said pages are now completely protected from possible soiling or spattering resulting from the environment iii-which the book is being used, yet the indicia on the pages may be clearly read through the transparent sections.

If it becomes necessary to turn .a age, the sections-are merely slid upwardly on the pages of the book thereby to cause the tabs toslide out of engagement with the top edges of .the ,pages :and to detach the sections therefrom. The protector is then lifted above the book, the page is turned and the protector is again attached to the newly :ex-posed pages in the manner above described.

When :thebook is no longer needed ,ior reference it is closed with the protector still innattached position thereby to cause the sections 2 and 3 to fold about the hinged portion 1 and to lie within the folded pages of the book with that portion of the top marginal portion of each section above the tab protruding from the book to serve as a marker. If it is desired to reopen the book to the identical pages previously referred to one need only open the book tothe pages marked by the protruding top marginal portions of the sections.

While in the embodiments of the invention above specifically described bendable tabs were preferably provided at the top marginal portion of each section, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be so limited and that one or more of the marginal portions of the free edges of each section may be provided with similar tabs.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modificafiiOllSzfiIld equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A protector and marker for introduction between the pages of a book comprising two rectangular single ply sheets of bendable but. normally form retaining, transparent material hinged together along adjacent inner edges so that eachsheet overlies one of the pages of an open book with the hinge overlying the junction of said pages, and a portion constituting a resilient tab struck out only from the upper marginal portion of each sheet adjacent the upper edge thereof, the tab normally being in the plane of the sheet and engageable with the free edge of the underlying page to hold the protector in fixed position, said tab being readily releasable to permit the protector to be quickly moved from between the pages at one place in the book to between the pages at another place in the book.

SARAH SHIELDS PFEI'FFER.

IDUEFERENCES QETED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 498,761 Becker June .6, 1893 1,261,362 Cook .Apr. 2, .1918 1,338,789 Rand May 4, 1925) 1,952,732 Simon Mar. 2'7, 193:! 2,039,116 Rice Apr. 28, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number. Country Date 17,930:; Great Britain .of 19.03 

